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This application relates to the former renal ward and gas storage building at former Nobles hospital, Westmoreland Road, Douglas.
The application is for a change of use of the building to a workshop for the disabled with some minor alterations. The alterations consist of a new window in the south east elevation of proposed workshop and a new oil tank outside the building.
The Manx Workshop for the disabled is currently housed in Victoria Avenue, Douglas but the buildings they occupy are old and in need of repair so they wish to relocate.
The workshop provides employment for a total of around 14 or 15 people at the moment with currently 5 full time employees and the rest being just two days a week. The numbers vary over time but the majority of the workers tend to be limited in the hours they can work. The hours of the workshop are 9.00am to 4.30pm weekdays.
The access and parking are limited on the site but there are 5 staff car parking spaces shown and three visitor spaces and the Department of Transport consider there to be no adverse traffic implications. Some of the staff currently are transported by minibus to the workshop and not all are on site at the same time. The access route is one way around the edge of the former hospital site and should be sufficient for the scale of the use proposed.
They currently have a number of different activities which are carried out including Vaccuum forming, packaging, shrink wrapping, collating, mailing, light assembly, engraving, block foiling and decorative metalwork. They are hoping to acquire a vinyls cutting machine for vinyl lettering. The majority of these activities are reasonably quiet and would take place in the larger of the two buildings. However the decorative metalwork involves the use of machinery such as a hand held angle grinder which is particularly noisy and there is also a proposed paint shop which would create fumes requiring an extractor fan. The compressor required for the engraving would also generate noise. The smaller of the two buildings is proposed to house these activities and machines.
Any use of these buildings as a workshop, having regard to the location, access, and parking should be restricted to use by Manx workshop for the disabled, rather than be given a light industrial use. There would also need to be restrictions on the hours of use and the type of activity that could take place within the workshops to ensure that the amenity of nearby residential properties is not adversely affected.
The change of use would therefore be to a workshop for use by Manx Workshop for the disabled, and the activities that could be carried out would be restricted to those which would not be of detriment to neighbouring properties. The proximity of the residential houses to this building means that the level of noise generated is unlikely to be acceptable for some activities.
Following a visit to both the existing and proposed premises the environmental health officer has advised that providing the doors, proposed windows and any ventilation system are designed to provide at least Rw (weighted sound insulation value) of 30dB there should be no adverse annoyance to local residents from noise. This should be achievable by the use of acoustic double glazing, and an acoustic solid wooden door in place of the up and over garage door. Any paint spraying should be carried out in a proprietary designed spray booth with adequate ventilation and filtration of dust and fumes to prevent any nuisance to local residents, with adequate mechanical ventilation to ensure that windows and doors will not be left open. The applicant is also recommended to contact the Environment Safety and Health Directorate to ensure the new workshop is designed to provide a safe working environment.
With the appropriate conditions the workshop should be able to accommodate all the types of activity that are currently undertaken at the existing premises, although given the proximity of the residential
premises it is felt that the change of use should still be restricted to Manx Workshop for the Disabled and have restrictions on the hours of use.
Recommended Decision: Permitted
Date of Recommendation:
C: Conditions for approval N: Notes attached to conditions R: Reasons for refusal O: Notes attached to refusals
C 1. The use must be taken up within four years of the date of this notice in order for this approval to remain valid after that time.
C 2. This approval relates to drawings numbers 761-01 and 761-02 date stamped received on 10th December 2004, with the omission of the proposed new window and proposed oil tank.
C 3. The workshop is for use by Manx Workshop for the Disabled and no other occupier.
C 4. The rating level of the noise emitted from the workshop plant shall not exceed LAeq, 1 hour - 40 dB daytime (0700-2300) and LAeq, 5 minute - 30 dB night time (2300 - 0700) as measured at the boundary of neighbouring residential premises.
The rating level shall be measured and calculated in accordance with BS 4142:1997 'British Standard Method for rating industrial noise affecting mixed residential and industrial areas'. NB Workshop plant includes any machinery, compressor or ventilation plant.
C 5. All paint spraying shall be carried out in a proprietary designed spray booth with adequate mechanical ventilation, and abatement of dust and fumes, such that no offensive odour can be detected at the boundary of neighbouring residential premises. The exhaust outlet shall be at least 1 metre above the roof ridge height to allow adequate dispersion of fumes.
C 6. The proposed use may take place only between the hours of 0800 and 1800 Monday to Friday.
N 1. The applicant should consult the Fire Safety Department in all aspects of fire safety.
N 2.
The applicant is recommended to consult with the Disability Access Office with regard to provisions for the disabled.
N 3. It is recommended that the design of the proposed workshop is reviewed by the Environment Safety and Health Directorate before construction commences to ensure that a safe working environment is provided.
N 4. A further planning application will be required for the insertion of the new window, the ventilation flue and the proposed oil tank.
Decision Made : ... Committee Meeting Date : ...
NS The applicant is advised to note the report prepared by the Environmental Protection Unit concerned that acoustic double glazing, an acoustic solid wooden door in place of the existing up and over garage door, and acoustic attenuation on any inlets and outlets, is installed in order to ensure raise levels do not exceed the condition imposed.
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